Letting Go
by Megz2009
Summary: Sequel to Home is Where the Heart Is. Spot and Marty are now raising a family, but things are not always as perfect as they thought they would be. However, sometimes they were better. Watch as their family grows and Spot and Marty learn to let go.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello again! It feels good to be back! It took me forever to finally get this the way I wanted it, but here I am with Chapter 1 of my sequel. It's just a little catch up chapter about what's happening in Spot and Marty's world and with everyone involved in it. Please review and tell me what you think! I miss you reviewers! Love, Meg. **

_BOYS_

_Michael Kenneth Conlon Jr. … Nothing else neither_

I leaned back into the pillows with a frustrated sigh. "Nothin' else at all?" I asked him, raising my eyes to meet his. He shook his head as he tilted the chair he was sitting in on it's back legs and crossed his arms. I rolled up the list and used it to whack his bare feet that were perched on the foot of the bed.

"Youse is a stubborn one, _Mr. Conlon_."

He smirked. "Oh, and just what's wrong wid dat name, _Mrs. Conlon_?"

"Absolutely nothin, I just so happen tah be _madly_ in love wid a man who bears it. A man _so amazing_ and has _such_ a reputation dat any son born tah him'll _already_ have big enough shoes tah fill…"

"Alright, alright," he surrendered as he plopped his feet back on the ground and rested his elbows on his knees. "But why are we fightin' bout this already? He ain't due till April, Marty, and it's hardly March."

I smiled faintly and gently rubbed my belly, which now clearly announced my condition. "Ise is just excited Spot."

Spot placed his hand on top of mine and gave me a genuine smile. "Me too, I couldn't be happier."

I transferred my eyes to the rolled up list lying in my lap. "Will ya still be so happy if we get a daughter?" I asked, raising my eyebrows. He gave me a questioning look and I lightly smacked the top of his head with my make-shift club. "Ya didn't write down any goils names."

"That's cause da little guy ain't a goil," He informed me matter-of-factly.

"How do ya know that?"

"Cause I'm da father dat's why."

I opened my mouth for a comeback, but was interrupted by my stomach growling. I giggled and patted what I guessed was my hungry child's head. "Your baby is hungry again."

Spot smirked. "Dat's how I know he's a boy. No girl could eat dat much, not even Marty Conlon." Spot stood up and made his way over to the small corner kitchen. "What's your pleasure?"

"I wish ya'd let me get it myself. Youse had a long day and need your rest," I pointed out as I swung my legs over the side of the mattress, but Spot hustled over to me and gently grasped my shoulders.

"Oh no ya don't, don't cha remembah want the doc said? Stay off you're feet." He reminded me, guiding me back to my niche under the quilt. "'Sides, you need dat rest more den I do." I sighed dramatically and crossed my arms.

"I've been 'off my feet' _forever_." Spot smirked and pulled the blanket that was folded at the foot of the bed over the quilt.

"Stop your whinin' and let me take care of ya," he ordered playfully and leaned over to kiss my forehead. I smiled to myself as I watched my husband fuss around in the kitchen. _Ise a lucky woman, _I thought as I watched Spot pile deli meat on a slice of bread.

My stomach growled again and I suppressed a giggle.

"Tell da kid I am workin' as fast as I can," Spot said, putting the sandwich on the plate and turning to face me. I gave him the biggest grin I could muster.

"Your baby is most grateful."

He plopped down next to me and handed me the plate. "Well kid, when youse is outta dere it'll be me givin' da orders, ya hear?"

I rolled my eyes and set my snack on my rounded stomach just in time for the dish to vibrate with another low moan.

"Your wife is most grateful as well," I thanked him as I took a huge bite. Spot yawned and got up to unclasp his suspenders.

"Yeah, well dere ain't much I can do bout you givin' me orders," he yawned as he laid his pants on the back of the wooden chair. "So if I can't be of any more service…" He crawled under the covers and punched his pillow before lying down. I licked the crumbs off of my lips and leaned down to kiss his cheek, but my belly through my off balance and I ended up kissing the side of his nose and a little harder than I intended.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean…" I apologized as he winced. He snickered and brushed a stubborn lock of blonde hair out of my eyes. He leaned up and kissed me tenderly on the lips.

"G'night Marty," he said as he stretched out and slipped into slumber. I've noticed that Spot's sleeping habits were nearly the polar opposite of mine. He slept lightly, waking up at every little noise, and hardly ever moved. I giggled remembering the morning after our wedding and how he said that if I were a sleepwalker I could probably take any full sized man. He was, of course, exaggerating.

Spot snored loudly and I felt a pang of guilt. He had been working two jobs since we were married just to keep us afloat, and now he was forced to take on extra shifts so I wouldn't have to work during my pregnancy. I know how worried he is about supporting a baby, wanting to give his family everything but having to work so hard just to make ends meet. I hope, for his sake, that the baby is a boy. A son could take a share of the work when he is older, and he might be able to say no to a son. But I know, in my heart, a little girl could wrap Spot tight around her little finger the day she is born, and her daddy would go willingly too. It's always that way with fathers and daughters.

Spot will be a wonderful father. What he can't give our children in luxury he will make up for in character and guidance. Just like my father. John Campbell was truly a good father, leaving both his children with enough love and wisdom to make it through their lives without him. Although my brother, Arnie, made his mistakes, he is now back on his feet living the life Papa would have wanted for him. He is working hard trying to earn enough money so he can marry his sweetheart next summer. Arnie and I have only grown closer since our reunion, and I find my family values growing deeper each day. Not just with Arnie, but my whole family.

Jack and I are still best friends and I am even good friends with his wife Sarah, who I once held such a hatred for. My godson, Jacob Francis Kelly, is almost seven months old and is already reminding me so much of my Jack.

My other godson, Timmy, is a shy toddler. His parents, Drew and Mary, recently moved out of their snug little apartment to something a little bigger when Drew's law career began to really take off. Their home is not the only thing expanding in the Albright household; Mary is due to give birth to their second child in late October.

The rest of my family, the larger part, could not have been more supportive of my marriage and pregnancy. All of the newsies have been mother hens ever since we told them of my condition last October. At first I found it undyingly entertaining, watching them scurry about to satisfy any need I may have. However, it grew old way quicker than my stomach grew round. I had begun to hide from them at Drew and Mary's house, sending them into a fit of worry when I did not return home right away from work.

Now I struggled under the weight of my baby and their services and care became my lifeline when Spot was working late. I hate not being able to take care of myself, but, as much as I hate to admit it, this pregnancy was what the doctor described as "high risk." Because of my small frame and low body weight the doctor feared my body would not respond well to the sudden weight gain. Hence the reason I have hardly been able to get out of bed for nearly a month. My achy joints were just barely tolerable and I could see the concern etched on every face in my family. They saw how much pain I was already enduring and that it was only to get worse, but I was up to the challenge. Nothing in the world is more important to me than delivering my child into this world safely.

I yawned, suddenly aware of how tired I was. _Get all the sleep you can while you are still pregnant, _Sarah and Mary had both told me. _You will be glad you did once you have to wake up every two hours to a hungry baby. _ I slid closer to my snoring husband. I suppose their advice was sound, I don't mind the extra sleep at all. I felt Spot's arms wrap around me protectively and I sighed. I felt my baby kick slightly; waking Spot up momentarily before he fell back into his light sleep. I kissed the palm of my hand and placed it right on top of the little kicking foot.

"G'night little Conlon," I whispered. "I can't wait to meet ya."

**So there you go! I **_**hope**_** to write more soon, as this one is already long overdue!!! Thanks for reading!**


	2. Too Soon

**Okay, I am back with the next chapter. I know, it took a lifetime and a half. But I had school, soccer, and my boyfriend so I was super busy. But, good news, I finished my junior year and have the whole summer to write! (well, in between working and stuff). I hope you like it, I am working on the next chapter as we speak. xoxo(by the way, I own nothing. This is my disclaimer for the whole story)**

"King me," I said proudly scooting my checker on the last square. Flash sighed and placed a stolen checker on top of my victorious one. I smiled as I watched the eight-year-old's brown eyes scan the checker board for his next move and imagined playing checkers with my own child. I placed a hand on top of my abdomen and wondered what my child would look like. Would the baby be a boy or a girl? Would they have blue or hazel eyes, brown or blonde hair?

Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain twist in my stomach. I took a sharp breath in, catching the attention of Flash, who had just moved his piece into one of my traps.

"Marty, are ya fine?"

I exhaled carefully and looked back up at Flash. "Yea, I'll be okay. Just a little indigestion, that's all."

Flash looked reassured, and now that the pain was gone, so was I. I quickly decided that, boy, girl, blonde or brunette, our child had definitely inherited my feistiness.

Not long after my cramp I had jumped the last of Flash's checkers.

"You had ta 'ave cheated," he grumbled as he swept the checkers back into their bag.

"Well, dats whatcha get playin' wid this one," a familiar voice interrupted from the staircase.

"Hiya Jack!" Flash greeted. "Wanna play me in checkers?"

"Not t'night Flash, it's time for bed," I reminded him, receiving a groan in return. I smiled as he mumbled a goodbye to the Kelly family and dragged his feet up the stairs.

"You is all ready ta be a modder, I should say," Jack teased, walking over to the bed and planting a brotherly kiss on my forehead.

I just smiled and held my arms out for baby Jake. "What are you doin' out so late, ain't past your bedtime too?" I cooed to my nephew, kissing his soft, brown hair. It amazed me how much he looked like his father, same defiant brown eyes and wide smile. I continually expressed my condolences to Sarah for having another Jack on her hands, but I could not, however, hide my adoration for the little boy and immediately assured her that if he was anything like his father he would be a lucky child.

"He couldn't sleep," Sarah explained, settling herself is a kitchen chair.

"He just missed his aunty Marty," Jack continued, ruffling my hair. "So how is ya feelin' t'day kiddo?"

I sighed and rubbed my belly. "I was feelin' fine up until half and hour ago," I explained, describing the sensation the occurred in my stomach. I noticed Sarah stiffen.

"Has this happened before?" She asked, rising from her chair and moving to sit at the corner of the bed.

"No," I answered, the alarm in her eyes startling me. "I figured it was just indigestion."

Sarah couldn't think that it could be my time already, could she? I still have a few weeks to go, it couldn't be time yet. Just as I was about to dismiss the idea entirely, another sharp pain seized my body.

"It was half an hour ago?" she confirmed, rising from her chair to sit by my side. I nodded my head and looked at Jack, hoping for some reassurance.

"Sarah," he said slowly. "Why does you look dat way?"

Sarah gently took Jake from me and handed him to her husband. Taking Jack by the arm she led him to the stairs, saying something in a very low, but urgent voice. I began to panic. Sarah thought I was going into labor. Before I could say anything she was back at my side.

"Where are dey going?"

Sarah grabbed my hand. "I sent Jack to get the doctor."

I began to feel hopeless, but remembered something that Mary told me when I worried about supporting the baby_. "Everything happens at just the time it is supposed to,"_ she said. _"God knows what he is doing and he will take care of you every step of the way." _

_Please God, let my baby be okay_.

My body contracted again and I felt Sarah squeeze my hand. I tried to hold it in but a moan escaped from the back of my throat. When it was finally over I loosened my grip on Sarah's hand and apologized for nearly breaking it. She just smiled and dabbed my forehead with a damp cloth. I hadn't even realized I was sweating so badly, the only think I noticed was the fear and uncertainty in Sarah's eyes. She wrote down the time on a piece of paper and determined I was about twenty-five minutes apart, which meant I still had a while to go. I kept bombarding her with questions and she assured me we would know more when the doctor got here.

The doctor finally did arrive he was accompanied by Mary. Jack was my hero; the only person I could have wanted more was Spot. Spot!

"Jack, does Spot know what's goin' on?"

Jack, who was pacing by the stairs, rushed to my side and took hold of my hand. "Don't ya worry about a ting, kiddo, I got word out ta him."

The doctor asked Jack to leave, and after some persuading he finally left, assuring me he would be right up stairs. Doctor felt my stomach and informed me that the baby's head was dropping.

"What's dat mean?" I asked anxiously.

"I does not mean anything yet," he responded, putting on a pair of plastic gloves. "As long as your water doesn't break you won't deliver, and that's what we are hoping for."

I breathed a sigh of relief, there was still hope. I heard the door slam upstairs, followed by quick steps and the opening of the door that lead to our apartment. "Marty! I just heard," Spot said as he began taking the stair three at a time. He was instantly on his knees at my side. "I came as soon as I could."

I was so relieved I wanted to cry. Now that Spot was there I could finally relax. I slept for about twenty minutes until another contraction seized my body. I looked at the clock, _they were getting closer. _I had to use the facilities, so Mary helped me over to the bathroom. But when I got inside the door I felt a rush of panic and was suddenly standing in a large puddle. Mary breathed a prayer and yelled out to the doctor. I couldn't believe it. My water had just broken.


End file.
